Can Bile Acids Be an Etiological Factor for Laryngeal Carcinoma?

Purpose: The objective of this study is to show the accumulation of bile acids in laryngeal tissues of laryngeal carcinoma patients. Materials and Methods: The present study compared the total bile acid level in the hypopharyngeal tissue, tumor tissue, and blood of 21 primary laryngeal carcinoma patients (study group) to that in the hypopharyngeal tissue and blood of 15 patients with benign laryngeal lesions (control group). Results: The total bile acid level was significantly higher in the tumor and hypopharyngeal tissues of the study group than in the hypopharyngeal tissues of the control group; however, the difference in the blood total bile acid level between the 2 groups was not significant. Conclusion: Bile acids in reflux material accumulate in the laryngeal tissue in laryngeal carcinoma patients; therefore, bile acids should be considered a carcinogenic factor in the etiology of laryngeal carcinoma because of their mutagenicity due to DNA breaking, as they cause chronic inflammation due to intracellular accumulation. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel